Witness recants in Sparks Nugget Casino gang killing

By Newsroom

He was called the state’s star witness in the shooting of a notorious gang leader at a Sparks casino, and now he’s recanting. Documents obtained by the AP show Gary “Jabbers” Rudnick says he lied under oath when he testified that the murder of Hells Angel leader Jeffrey Pettigrew, on the Nugget casino’s gambling floor, was part of an elaborate plot by a rival gang. His testimony put Ernesto Gonzalez in prison for life. Rudnick was released from prison last year after doing just two years on conspiracy to commit murder charges. He’s now changing his story, saying he lied, under pressure from prosecutors. Rudnick’s recanting could make it hard for prosecutors to convict Gonzalez again. He’s scheduled to head to trial a second time after his last conviction was thrown out due to improper jury instructions.